Music

Concert Band

• Wind Ensemble
• Symphonic Band
• Percussion Ensemble
• Concert Band

DGS Concert Band focuses on developing individual performance proficiency and overall musicianship through a comprehensive, engaging curriculum. Literature studies are suited to the ensemble's abilities and reinforce the theory of music as well as creative thinking. Students in any of these courses perform 3-5 times each year outside of the school day.

Jazz Band

• Jazz Combo (Competitive)
• Jazz Ensemble (Competitive)
• Jazz Lab Band
• Jazz Workshop

DGS Jazz provides music students with an opportunity to explore all forms of jazz through the study of big band, combo, and modern jazz literature. While performing jazz music, students will be encouraged to expand their creativity through the process of improvisation. Students in this course will participate in several jazz festivals and field trips. Additionally, students in this course perform at numerous school and community events. Membership in this course is based on an audition.

Concert Orchestra

Concert Orchestra is open to all string instrument players who can meet a standard of preparation and are committed to mature performance. This course is designed for the string player who has had years of previous instruction on their instrument, either through school or privately. In Concert Orchestra, students mature in their understanding and appreciation of music and string technique, learn orchestral literature, and enjoy fine performance experiences. The full-year course offers activities including rehearsals, concerts, festivals, and contest performances requiring an extra time commitment. 

Symphonic Orchestra

Symphonic Orchestra is the most advanced ensemble for string players. Placement in the Symphonic Orchestra is by audition. Students must demonstrate mastery of their instrument, including scales covering the full range of the instrument and knowledge of musical notation, and a commitment to mature performance. Symphonic Orchestra offers students the opportunity to refine their technique and musicianship while learning and performing a variety of symphonic and string literature. The full-year course offers activities including rehearsals, concerts, festivals, and contest performances. 

Freshman Choir

The Freshman Choir (grade 9 only) is open to all incoming freshman singers regardless of previous singing experience. This class will focus on the development of basic singing skills, including tone development, part singing, proper body positioning for singing, breath support and control, the establishment of a healthy choral tone, and music reading. This group performs at least four times during the school year. Attendance at all events is expected.

Advanced Choirs

• Concert Choir
• Treble Choir
• A Capella Choir (Grades 11 & 12)

Placement in these choirs is predicated on an audition or simple approval from choral faculty. Instructional emphasis is placed on healthy vocal production, sight reading, tonal memory, singing alone and with others, and balance and blend within a choral ensemble. Concert Choir performs the finest choral literature selected from a wide variety of musical styles and historical periods. Members of this ensemble must attend four major choral events each year, in addition, to select festivals and community performances outside of the school day. Attendance at all events is expected.

Music Production

This course is designed to give students of varied musical backgrounds an opportunity to study creative music composition in a high-tech arena. Students will learn how to arrange, compose, and perform music using digitally controlled synthesizers and computers. This one-semester course will combine a study of various contemporary and historical musical styles with hands-on computer sequencing and digital audio editing techniques. The classroom setting will allow students to work both individually and in collaborative teams. Several original compositions will be created that can be saved as digital audio files. This course is designed to accommodate students of all music ability levels.

AP Music Theory 

This course is offered for students who have a serious interest in music and want to improve their comprehension of the musical language. Course objectives include a review of the basic elements of music, notation, harmony, and analytical techniques with special emphasis on ear training and sight-reading. Individualized projects focus on historical background, composition, and arranging. The first semester of this course may be taken for 1/2 unit of credit. This class is offered as an Early Bird class (7:00 - 7:50 a.m.). Students must arrange their own transportation. 

Guitar

This semester course, which meets daily, will serve as a general introduction to guitar playing for students with little or no previous experience. Elements of basic guitar technique to be covered include: tuning, elementary chords, fingering, basic strums, basic note reading, understanding of basic time signatures and counting. Students will be exposed to the various styles of guitar performance, such as folk, blues, rock and classical music. Students must have access to their own 6-string acoustic guitar. For Guitar II, the Prerequisite is having taken Guitar 1 or the permission of the instructor.

Levels: 1, 2

Rock Band

This course focuses on group performance of commercial styles of music, including rock, pop and hip-hop. Rock Band is a full-year course that meets daily for Fine Arts credit. Students are placed in Rock Band after completing an entry interview by the music faculty. Very basic skills must be demonstrated on either a rhythm section instrument (guitar, bass, drums, keyboard) or voice to be enrolled. Literature is from several periods of rock/pop music history and reinforces the theory of music as well as creative thinking. Students in this course will perform several times a year during the school day, and depending upon may perform 3-5 times each year outside of the school day. 

Singer's Studio

This course is offered for students who have a serious interest in music and want to improve their comprehension of the musical language.